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Private Fire Companies.
They used to do that. Depending on the system they would check which company you were paying dues to and if you were up to date before they put it out. Or all the local companies would show up and give you an estimate to put it out, and sometimes the losers would impede the low bidder.

Re: The poor hoping for a better life after death.
My understanding of Christianity is that it was ALWAYS sold to the poor for that reason. That’s why Jesus went to the poor and sick and destitute. I’m reading the bible now and just got through the many re-tellings of the Jesus story, and it really struck me that Christianity is the religion of the poor for that very reason: they’re hopeless and destitute, and desperate enough to believe anything that might better their lives. Because everyone back in biblical times were poor and sickly, except landowners and royalty. And it wasn’t the rich landowners Jesus went to. It was the poor goat herders. That’s the only reason any religion could possibly sell, on desperation, and that’s why there’s such an emphasis on the sufferings in this life all throughout Christianity. You’re supposed to suffer in life, because the more you do the better the reward in heaven, assuming you worship the right god, blah blah blah. That’s why Jesus told the story about a camel going through the eye of a needle easier than a rich man can get into heaven, because he was marketing the religion to the poor. That’s how Jesus and Christianity have always justified poor people staying poor even though they spend their lives going to church and tithing. Their eternity in paradise is supposed to be the reward for all the suffering. Or else what would be the point of ever giving money? Prosperity churches just use that idea specifically to wring as much money out of the poor as they can, because even pennies can add up if you squeeze enough of them out of as many people as you can convince to fall for your ploy. The poor, especially the old, are desperate and know they’ll probably always be poor. So they’re just praying and paying and hoping it’s all worth it in the end. Prosperity churches know how to use the fears and desperation of the poor and sick and elderly to get that last penny out of them.